Ekman - Alchemy

Ekman - Alchemy
Roel Dijcks' recent work for Berceuse Heroique and Bedouin Records has reconciled the past with the future—specifically, the classic Dutch West Coast electro sound with the newer wave of harsh techno, à la Perc Trax. You can hear those interests dovetail on Alchemy's lead track, the thundering "كيمياء" ("Chemistry"), which is techno with brash kicks leaving a trail of rumbling low-end in their wake. Impressively distorted, it's punk as far as techno goes, but there's not much else to it: a whole lot of noise and aggression without character. As shown by Dijck's previous EP for this Dubai-based label, he fares better when he sticks to electro.

The other tracks find different ways to make an impression. "تكوين‎‎" ("Formation") has a wiggling bassline that marries melody to the madness, adding a real sense of funk to Dijck's macho bluster. "سبعة عشر" ("Seventeen") features the high-pitched bleeps of classic Submerge electro, only rusted and worn. The record wraps with "التوازن" ("Balance"), a tune that shows a relatively restrained side to Dijcks, sauntering along with warped melodies that lend it a dazed feel. Tracks like "كيمياء" show it's not always easy to make your mark using bludgeoning weapons, but the other three prove that Ekman is usually great at it.